Why Martin Odegaard Isn’t Playing for Arsenal vs. Chelsea

Arsenal were given a considerable injury boost on their substitutes bench for the visit from Chelsea.

Martin Ødegaard has endured a campaign defined by injuries. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Mikel Arteta named an unchanged starting XI for Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday but there was one alteration to the matchday squad: there was no place for the injured Martin Ødegaard.

The Gunners captain has suffered through a dire individual campaign. This weekend’s London derby proved to be the 16th match Ødegaard has missed this season, one more than he sat out across the entirety of 2024–25 which itself was billed as something of a lost year for the playmaker.

After battling past a chronic shoulder problem in the season’s opening weeks and then a severe knee injury over autumn, Ødegaard was sidelined with a knock last month before returning for last weekend’s north London derby. The impish skipper came off the bench to tee up Arsenal’s final goal of a 4–1 win, to make it the club’s largest ever Premier League triumph at Tottenham Hotspur’s home ground.

Arsenal’s squad had even been given a week mercifully free of fixtures to prepare for Sunday’s showing, yet still conspired to turn up without Ødegaard.

“Unfortunately, Martin is not feeling totally comfortable with a knee injury,” Arteta told Sky Sports ahead of kickoff. “We decided not to risk him.”

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Arsenal Confirmed Starting XI vs. Chelsea

Starting XI: David Raya; Jurriën Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapié; Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi; Bukayo Saka, Eberech Eze, Leandro Trossard; Viktor Gyökeres.

Substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz.

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Ødegaard Absence Balanced by Key Returnee

Kai Havertz made his return. | David Price/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Not for the first time this season, it has been a case of one in, one out for Arsenal when it comes to the revolving door of their treatment room. Ødegaard’s absence was balanced on Sunday by the return of Kai Havertz.

The German playmaker has had an even worse injury record than his teammate this season, falling foul of a knee problem in the opening game of the season which would delay his next top-flight appearance for four months. Havertz made five outings as January bled into February, scoring twice and laying on a pair of assists as he threatened to offer a solution to Arsenal’s stagnant open play threat.

Then injury struck again.

Havertz had sat out Arsenal’s four previous matches—including those damning dropped points against Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers—with a muscular complaint. The German has recovered in time to face his former employers, who were reminded of the threat he poses during the Carabao Cup semifinal second leg at the Emirates last month which ended with a breakaway Havertz goal.

“Kai trained and trained really well,” Arteta warned pregame. “He’s fit and available.”

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